Fort Charlotte Strikers vs Botanical Gardens Rangers Match Report – 30th Match VPL 5
Strikers won the toss and chose to bat.
Primus bowled the first delivery of the final and was off target, bowling a wide then had a short delivery pulled just out of reach of the leaping Kenneth Dember at mid on, off the bat of Gidron Pope. The remainder of the over was filled with big swings and misses and Strikers finished the first over on 6/0. Gidron Pope pulled Dember for four in the 2nd over and Strikers were thankful for a four bye that ripped past the edge of Gidron Pope.
Ravendra Persaud removed the off pole for Gidron Pope during the 3rd over. Sealroy Williams was tactically promoted and he hit his first delivery for six then drove and pull for consecutive boundaries to complete the third over. Williams took Dember down the ground for a boundary but Dember was clever the next delivery, looping it slowly and extracting extra bounce to take the edge through to the keeper. Strikers finished the powerplay on 36/2.
Salvan Browne was dropped off Persaud’s bowling during the 5th over as Browne was struggling to find timing. Hiram Shallow on the other hand was timing it better and he swung Persaud down the ground for a maximum to push Strikers to 47/2 at the half way stage. Salvan Browne struggle ended as he was removed by Roneil Jeffrey in the 6th over.
Shallow pulled Cottoy powerfully during the 7th over for a boundary and drove Jeffrey fiercely back over his head for six in the 8th over. Jeffrey removed Shallow, having him caught behind while trying to cut a rising delivery that was too close to his body to cut. Jeffrey’s spell was impressive, as he took 2/15 to prevent Strikers from gaining dangerous momentum as they finished the 8th over on 72/4.
Strikers were pegged back to 76/5 after 9 overs but had a big finish, as the final over bowled by Primus went for 19 runs and Strikers got to 95/5, a decent score on the strip being played on. Jerome Jones hit 2 fours and 1 six off the final three deliveries to remain not out on 16 from 8 deliveries. Hiram Shallow made 26 from 12 deliveries and Sealroy Williams 18 from 7 deliveries. Kenneth Dember and Keron Cottoy were wonderful with the ball, taking 1/12 and 1/13 respectively from their two overs each.
Rangers got off to a quick start, being 23/0 after 2 overs, as Fletcher hit Ray Jordan hard square on the off side during the first over for four. During the 2nd over he drove for four then swung massively over mid wicket for a six off the bowling of Abraham. The veteran Alston Bobb was called upon for the 3rd over and he removed Andre Fletcher, as he stung a bullet drive but the giant frame of Carlos Brathwaite was able to pluck it safely out the air at mid off.
Keron Cottoy was determined not to let pressure build as he took 2 maximums off the final over of the powerplay, before he was dismissed off the last ball of the over bowled by Abraham. Rangers finished the powerplay on 43/2, and in control of the match. Rangers kept the run rate moving as Persaud swung Bobb down the ground for six to complete the 5th over and sent Rangers to 53/2.
Rangers had a good 6th over, as Brathwaite started poorly gifting five wides down the leg side. While he bounced back well, the wristy play of Persaud took a length delivery and deposited over the long leg boundary for a maximum. Roshon Primus was in belligerent mode during the 7th over and slapped a six over long off then followed with a gigantic six that flew over the administrative building down the ground. Jerome Jones transgressed by bowling a no ball and the free hit was deposited over the long on boundary. The over went for 22 runs and it left 6 runs remaining from 12 deliveries.
Roshon Primus, fittingly, won the match for Rangers by taking a single. Primus unbeaten 28 came from 16 deliveries, hitting 1 four and 3 sixes. Ravendra Persaud supported wonderfully with 19 not out from 9 deliveries, which contained 2 sixes.
Fort Charlotte Strikers 95/5 (10 overs)
Botanical Gardens Rangers 96/2 (7.4 overs)